Paris Saint-Germain’s newest big-name signing Sergio Ramos turned down an offer from Arsenal this summer, according to reports.
Ramos departed Real Madrid after his contract was allowed to run down, and a host of elite clubs from across Europe unsurprisingly tried to snap up the free agent.
Among them were Arsenal, but Ramos ultimately snubbed them – as claimed by Goal – to head to France instead.
The veteran centre back has signed a two-year deal at the Parc des Princes, and he is said to have viewed the offer from PSG as one he simply could not rebuff.
However, for a little while at least Ramos’ future was firmly up in the air, and Arsenal looked to pounce by tabling packages they hoped would tempt him.
Goal’s report goes on to add that Arsenal’s contract offer was for two years and would have been worth £15million per season.
While Ramos’ camp were interested, the player himself was not – with the lack of Champions League football at the north London outfit proving a stumbling block.
Manchester City have also been linked with Ramos but Sportsmail understands they were not pursuing Ramos.
He left the Bernabeu after failing to agree fresh terms. Madrid were unwilling to meet his request for a two-year deal, as they were only open to a one-year extension.
This has long since been club policy, and Madrid also reportedly wanted Ramos to agree to a wage cut to his lucrative £10m per season earnings.
But PSG were open to his desired contract, and Ramos will bank €12m (£10.3m) a season, with bonuses taking his overall salary up to €15m (£13m).
After putting pen to paper, Ramos said: ‘I am very happy to join Paris Saint-Germain.
‘It is a big change in my life, a new challenge and a day that I will never forget. I am proud to be part of this very ambitious project, to join a team with great players.
‘It’s a club that has already proven at the highest level with solid foundations. I want to continue to grow with Paris and help the team work to win titles.’
Owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi hailed Ramos as a ‘complete footballer’ and added: ‘He is a born competitor, a leader and a great professional.
‘His great experience and his ambitions are in perfect harmony with those of the club.’
Soon after the official unveiling, Ramos also took to Instagram to lay out his future goals in the French capital.
‘The best place to keep on dreaming, the best club to keep on winning,’ Ramos wrote. ‘We’re going to fight with everything we have for everything.’
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